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canyonwalkerLast Monday, November 29, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley opened fire with a handgun in his high school in Oxford, Michigan. He killed 4 students and injured 6 other students and 1 teacher. The gun had been purchased just days before as an early Christmas gift to him. While school shootings, and shootings by minors, are sadly not uncommon in the US, one thing is different about this case. In addition to charging the teen with multiple counts of homicide and attempted homicide, the Oakland County (MI) district attorney has charged the parents, too. They face multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter. Example news coverage: "Key moments surrounding Michigan high school shooting", Associated Press, 4 Dec 2021.
Prosecutors have yet to present their case for charging the parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley. Based on facts that are known now it seems to relate to a) their purchase of the gun as a gift for him, b) possession of a firearm by an underage person is illegal in most circumstances in Michigan, and c) their disregard for signs that Ethan was contemplating a violent attack. Especially as regards (c), Ethan was reported at school by a teacher who saw him using a school computer to read about guns and ammunition. After a required parental notification his mother texted him, "Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught."
Later another teacher spotted Ethan with a drawing so disturbing she took a picture with her cellphone and reported it to school leadership. According to reports:
School administrators summoned the parents to school to discuss the material, but the parents denied there was anything wrong with it. They refused to take their son out of school for the day. And they chose not to disclose that he had access to a firearm.
Police conducted a manhunt for the parents after charges against them were announced. While their attorney says they were getting ready to turn themselves in, the facts suggest something different: they had withdrawn a large amount of money from ATMs, and were found hiding in an art studio having already fled the jurisdiction. Accordingly, the judge set their bail at $500,000 and they are currently in jail.
Prosecutors have yet to present their case for charging the parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley. Based on facts that are known now it seems to relate to a) their purchase of the gun as a gift for him, b) possession of a firearm by an underage person is illegal in most circumstances in Michigan, and c) their disregard for signs that Ethan was contemplating a violent attack. Especially as regards (c), Ethan was reported at school by a teacher who saw him using a school computer to read about guns and ammunition. After a required parental notification his mother texted him, "Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught."
Later another teacher spotted Ethan with a drawing so disturbing she took a picture with her cellphone and reported it to school leadership. According to reports:
It includes a drawing of a handgun and the words: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” Also depicted is a bullet with the words “blood everywhere” above a person who appears to have been shot twice and is bleeding. A laughing emoji is drawn below the figure. The note also says “my life is useless” and “the world is dead.”
School administrators summoned the parents to school to discuss the material, but the parents denied there was anything wrong with it. They refused to take their son out of school for the day. And they chose not to disclose that he had access to a firearm.
Police conducted a manhunt for the parents after charges against them were announced. While their attorney says they were getting ready to turn themselves in, the facts suggest something different: they had withdrawn a large amount of money from ATMs, and were found hiding in an art studio having already fled the jurisdiction. Accordingly, the judge set their bail at $500,000 and they are currently in jail.
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Date: 2021-12-07 08:17 am (UTC)The hipocracy is pretty stunning.